Kasparow - Topalow, Wijk aan Zee 1999
Kasparow - Topalow, Wijk aan Zee 1999 is one of the most famous and most commented games in modern top chess. The white pieces were led by the classical world chess champion at the time, Garri Kasparow , and the later FIDE world champion Wesselin Topalow from Bulgaria had black. It was played during the traditional international tournament in the Dutch city of Wijk aan Zee in January 1999.
Kasparov achieved a brilliant attack victory after he was able to make two unexpected tower sacrifices and after a long pursuit of the black king Topalov forced to surrender. The particular beauty of the combination found by Kasparov made the grandmaster's commentators enthusiastic: “It deserves a place in the Louvre ” wrote Larry Christiansen in his book Storming The Barricades , Lubomir Kavalek mentioned it in his column in the Washington Post (February 1st issue 1999) “the most fascinating game that has ever been played.” Kasparov himself described this game in 2005 as the best game he had ever played.
Annotated game
- 1. e2-e4 d7-d6 2. d2-d4 Ng8-f6 3. Nb1-c3 g7-g6
The Pirc-Ufimzew Defense , which Kasparov did not expect as it was not part of Topalov's usual opening repertoire.
- 4. Bc1 – e3 Bf8 – g7 5. Qd1 – d2 c7 – c6 6. f2 – f3 b7 – b5 7. Ng1 – e2 Nb8 – d7 8. Be3 – h6 Bg7xh6 9. Qd2xh6 Bc8 – b7 10. a2 – a3 e7 -E5 11. 0-0-0 Qd8-e7 12. Kc1-b1 a7-a6 13. Ne2-c1 0-0-0 14. Sc1-b3
Both sides built solidly. The difficult positional play is now followed by an opening through Black. Topalow finds a way to compensate for his space disadvantage.
- 14.… e5xd4! 15. Rd1xd4 c6 – c5 16. Rd4 – d1 Nd7 – b6!
With his last moves, Black prepared the relieving advance from the center d6 – d5. Kasparov particularly praised the Bulgarian's 14th and 16th platoons.
- 17. g2 – g3 Kc8 – b8 18. Nb3 – a5 Bb7 – a8 19. Bf1 – h3 d6 – d5 20. Qh6 – f4 + Kb8 – a7 21. Rh1 – e1 d5 – d4 22. Nc3 – d5 Nb6xd5 23. e4xd5 De7 -D6
Position after Black's 23rd move |
- 24. Rd1xd4 !!
Kasparov "prayed" that Topalov would pull back the rook on d4. After 15 minutes of reflection (according to Kasparov, other sources state that Topalov had thought for almost an hour) he did it.
- 24.… c5xd4?
“This move loses, but it is worth an exclamation mark, because great games cannot be played without the help of your partner.” (Kasparov) According to Kasparov's analysis , Black had a way to equalize: He had to 24… Ka7 – b6! move, whereupon 25. Sa5 – b3! Ba8xd5! 26. Qf4xd6 + Rd8xd6 27. Rd4 – d2 Rh8 – d8 28. Re1 – d1 with an even position.
Position after Black's 24th move |
- 25. Re1 – e7 +!
“I made this move at lightning speed. One always makes such moves with pleasure. "(Kasparow)
- 25.… Ka7 – b6
25.… Qd6xe7 is followed by 26. Qf4xd4 + Ka7 – b8 27. Qd4 – b6 + Ba8 – b7 28. Sa5 – c6 + Kb8 – a8 29. Qb6 – a7 mate .
- 26. Qf4xd4 + Kb6xa5 27. b2-b4 + Ka5-a4
Position after Black's 27th move |
- 28. Qd4-c3
In his analysis in the Washington Post, Lubomir Kavalek found a faster way to victory, namely 28. Re7 – a7 !! Kasparov later confirmed the correctness of Kavalek's statements.
- 28.… Qd6xd5 29. Re7 – a7! Ba8-b7 30. Ra7xb7 Qd5-c4
“This is the most natural defense that I had expected,” wrote Kasparov, but Black was able to resist tougher resistance with the move 30.… Rh8 – e8! Afford. Kasparov then gives the following winning variant: 31. Rb7 – b6 Rd8 – a8 32. Bh3 – f1 !! Re8 – e1 +! 33. Qc3xe1 Nf6 – d7 34. Rb6 – b7 !! Qd5xb7 35. Qe1 – d1! Ka4xa3 36. c2-c3 + -. 30.… Nf6 – e4 was also better, but insufficient! 31. f3xe4 Qd5 – c4 32. Rb7 – a7 !! Rd8 – d1 + (32.… Rd8 – a8 33. Qc3 – e3 + -) 33. Kb1 – b2 Dc4xc3 + 34. Kb2xc3 Rd1 – d6 35. e4 – e5 Rd6 – b6 36. Kc3 – b2 Rh8 – e8 37. Lh3 – g2 ! Re8 – d8 (37.… Re8xe5 38. Bg2 – b7 + -) 38. Bg2 – b7 Rd8 – d7 39. Bb7 – c6 !! Rd7 – d8 (39.… Rd7 – d2 40. Bc6 – e8 + -) 40. Bc6 – d7 + - (according to Kasparov).
- 31. Qc3xf6 Ka4xa3?
Not the best. 31.… Rd1 + with queen exchange on move 34 promised more resistance.
- 32. Qf6xa6 + Ka3xb4 33. c2 – c3 +! Kb4xc3 34. Da6-a1 + Kc3-d2 35. Da1-b2 + Kd2-d1
Black was forced to move his king down to White's back row. A curious position.
Position after Black's 35th move |
- 36.Bh3 – f1 !!
In the book The Most Amazing Chess Moves of All Time by British Grand Master John Emms, this move ranks 10th on the list of the most notable moves of all time. Kasparov, however, laconic: “White attacks the black queen who is not allowed to move. If she leaves the e2 square unguarded, White mates with Qb2 – e2 on the next move; if she goes to e6, Qb2 – c1 mates. ”36.… Qc4xf1 was followed by 37. Qb2 – c2 + Kd1 – e1 38. Rb7 -E7 + and mate on the next move.
- 36 ... Rd8 – d2 37. Rb7 – d7! Rd2xd7 38. Bf1xc4 b5xc4 39. Qb2xh8 Rd7 – d3 40. Qh8 – a8 c4 – c3 41. Qa8 – a4 + Kd1 – e1 42. f3 – f4 f7 – f5 43. Kb1 – c1 Rd3 – d2 44. Qa4 – a7
The white material advantage is overwhelming. "Topalow gave up and this wonderful game was over." (Kasparow)
Web links
- The game at chessgames.com
- Game commentary ( Memento from February 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 119 kB) by Yasser Seirawan for ChessCafe.com
swell
- Garri Kasparow in: www.Kasparovchess.com (express analyzes immediately after the game, page no longer exists)
- Chess Informator 74, Game No. 110, analyzes by Garry Kasparov
- Compilation by AJ Goldsby, including source collection ( memento from October 23, 2007 in the Internet Archive )